Seventeen
by littleredladybug
Summary: A grief ridden girl is sucked into the immortal world, to bite or not to bite?
1. Chapter 1 - Moving

_Seattle_

My grandmother drove me to the airport, where I was to move to Seattle; leaving her behind. My father could no longer cope with the constant reminders of my mother's death; he said the walls echoed with her past, so he wanted me to move away with him. For me it was a two hour and twenty eight minute flight, for Henry (my father) three hour and fifteen minute drive. I didn't understand why he would move just a few hours down the road, but as long it shook off the depression he suffered, I would be willing.

It had been eight years ago that my mother's body had been discovered in the foggy second growth of the Olympic National Forest, of the north west Washington state. Her eyes open and black. Her face drained of colour and lips a pale shade of blue. A crescent shaped bite mark in the crease of her elbow.

Of course the police had theories. My favourite?

''There are many savage beats out there, just awaiting a lonesome hiker to maul. Some even have the strength to carry their victims, sir. Now get your kid off to bed and get some rest,'' my mother had never liked to hike. No. That is an understatement, whenever Henry mentioned the words hike, walk or mountain she would come up with some elaborate excuse to get out of it. In fact, the day before she'd died she'd promised to take me to La Push to see Paul and Quil, my dad's best friend and mine, to get out of a trip up to the national park; we'd never actually made it. I'd never actually made it alone either. I'd spent the past nine years in the care of my grandparents in California, visiting Henry only on Christmas and birthdays. This is why his sudden change of heart had shocked me so much.

I'd missed my mother my whole existence, but by the time I had turned twelve I'd realised it was out of my hands, all I could do now was love and live. If not for me then for her and for my father, he had to see that there was a life outside of grief.

So I would move from my idea of heaven; sun, vitamin D and the closest thing I had to a mother. To my idea of hell; the cold, damp and miserable Seattle. For him.


	2. Chapter 2 - Him

_Bainbridge_

Harry drove me to school, promising me a car very soon. Harry drove a Range Rover Sport Stormer; my grandparents attempt at cheering him up three years ago. Though of course it didn't, nothing did. Until now.

My stomach knotted, something about a sudden doting father, permanent moistened air and a whole new setting unanticapatedly caused horror to run through me, raising every hair on my body to stand.

I stepped out smiling to my father, ''I'll see you for dinner?''

''Yes hun, have a good day,'' he replied.

I checked my hair in my reflection on the window, straightening my woollen jumper dress, inhaling to calm my nerves. Placing one foot in front of the other I paced towards the office. I was greeted by an old, honest face with a sincere smile. '' Constance?'' she asked, with an excited child like grin.

''Yes, um. Yes, Constance Tate,'' I agreed.

''Wonderful. Well welcome to Bainbridge High, here are your classes'' she handed me a sheet of paper with my timetable for the year on, ''Now I trust you can work your way around?''

''I'll manage,'' I smiled walking out of the door to be greeted by rain. I bounded towards the front doors hoping to receive cover. A short, impetuous girl ran up to me, pulling me through the doors.

''Constance?'' her long, brown hair in loose, damp ringlets around her face quivering as she bounced excitedly.

''Yeah, but call me Sea,'' I corrected.

''Sure, I'm Annii. Double 'n' double 'I', exotic right? Yeah well I'm here if you need anything a friend, a lunch date?'' she grinned.

''Awesome, yeah well I really need a tour guide and a lunch date right now,'' I smiled.

''Great, well the canteen's just straight ahead and left and first period is, who've you got?'' she asked.

''Um, Mr Lace,'' I checked.

''Right so Kayla's class, so First floor, first door on your, um. Left,'' she thought.

''Great, thanks.''

''See you at lunch? WAIT JADE WAIT!'' she called out to a tall, slim, tan blonde. She didn't fit in, in an overcast place like this. She was clearly a fan of sun beds, her eyes washed over me and then she looked over my shoulder and back to me snarling. ''Hey I've got to go, Lunch?'' she asked again.

''Lunch, '' I confirmed, trying to achieve a smile.

I turned to see the most mesmeric person I'd ever seen, outside of a Greek God book. But he was quite possibly beyond God.

His piercing crimson eyes caught mine for a mere second before he slammed his locker closed, hurrying in the other direction, and the remains of a smile washing off his face. I continued to look after him, short gelled chestnut brown hair and the most pure, porcelain skin. He looked back to me; his top lip curved around his teeth. Realising I was gawping I dropped to the floor pretending to tie my shoe lace, procrastinating. I felt my cheeks flush and burn as though I'd been dipped in acid. I noticed then how he walked, so oddly. An unnatural bounce in his step, not that one get's when happy but a springy bounce as though he was walking across a trampoline rather than a tiled floor. Jumping to my feet I bounded up the stairs, tripping a few times, to find my class before the bell rang and the herd of students would surge in. I could still feel the burn in my cheeks, the picture of his animal like snarl lingering in my mind.

''Err, Mr Lace... I'm Constance Tate, '' I smiled watching his mind tick over trying to remember me.

''Oh yes, here,'' he handed me a yellow book and a study guide; he guided me to a seat adjacent to him. The red eyed boy, a jolt of embarrassment ripping through me.

''Err, thank you, '' I sat in my chair hanging my book bag over the back. ''Hello, I'm Constance'' I smiled as Mr Lace walked to the front. His body recoiled away from mind as though I'd burnt him with a branding iron; he grunted pulling his chair to the far end of his desk. ''Are you okay?'' I gasped, he ignored me.

I sat for an hour, his eyes burrowing into my neck. I felt the blood pulsing through my ears, he'd ignored me? He doesn't know me, yet he doesn't like me?

The bell rang and he was handing his book to Mr Lace before anyone else had even realised that the bell had rung.

The rest of the morning passed in a blur. Every lesson I contemplated his evasiveness' until lunch. I walked to the line picking up a chicken melt and soda before walking to Annii's table, where I was met by excited grins.

''Hey.''

''Hey Sea, this is Jazz, Amber, Jade, Peter and Ryan,'' Annii pointed to each of the five faces, I knew I wouldn't remember all of them so I just waved. ''Come sit,'' the one I remembered as Peter, he pulled out a chair next to him. I sat down and they carried on their conversation whilst I ate.

''I'm going to go take a look around,'' I stood and everyone looked up to me, besides Jade; the only one who seemed to have an issue with me.

''One sec and we'll come,'' Annii smiled, all of them standing.

''Oh no, you eat. I'll just wonder for an hour before class,'' I motioned for them all to sit back down.

''You sure?'' Peter questioned, I nodded and headed out to the parking lot, dropping my wrapper in the bin on the way out. I wandered to a hill I could see just five minutes away, close enough to hear the bell. I climbed to the top, just over it a small field lay dotted with wild daisies and lavender. I lay my parka over the dampened grass and lay down. My mind wandered from the utter beauty of my surroundings, my eyes slipping shut.

''You know ignoring me like that is arrogant and rude?'' I accused.

With my accusation his cheeks flushed with pink, this shocked me. It looked unnatural, wrong. This woke me, that or the bell ringing over the hill. I jumped up shaking off my jacket and running down the hill to class. I felt my leg wobble half way down, pulling my weight down until I fell backwards sliding down. I felt someone grab my arm, pulling me to my feet.

''Damn gravity.''

''Are you okay?'' an unfamiliar, but endearing voice spoke. I smiled at the care that ran through it, like parent or a dear friend.

''Uh yes,'' I shook off as much dirt as possible, though mud ran all the way down my previously cream back. I looked up to meet there eyes, red eyes. I jumped back, his hands on my elbows keeping me from slipping again.

''Sorry,'' he dropped his hands.

''Wait no, sorry. You just stopped me from face planting the tarmac. Thank you.'' He smiled.

''Better get to class,'' he said walking backwards towards the school, watching me with careful eyes.

''Yeah, I'll just err take this dress off,'' I ran to the toilets, pulling my dress off to reveal my vest top.

The end of the day came quick enough, Japer's rudeness wearing off as he'd saved my face. Waiting on the school bus I noticed his face, noticeably more handsome than anyone in this world, his eyes on me. I glared back, his eyes never moving from mine. The bus jumped to a start, a gasp slipping through my lips. His lips curled up into an amused grin, he bowed ever so slightly as though he was waving me goodbye.

With that, his face entered my mind and I knew just at that moment that perhaps it should be.


	3. Chapter 3 - Stupified

_Stupefied_

'BLEEP'

I ran to my phone; which lay on beside my bed on a cabinet I'd had since I could remember, it had multiple etchings strewn across it many of past friendships or doodles I couldn't be bothered to draw on paper.

"Hey?" I breathed, trying to catch my breath as I flipped my cell phone open.

"How was first day?" Annii asked.

"Um... yeah as far as first day's go... yeah I guess it was okay," I sat on the very edge of my bed confused at how she had my number, though in a small town such as this it was likely that everyone knew literally everyone.

"Jasper seems very interested in you... You make him smile" her voice eager.

"Oh! Um yeah I guess I did, his eyes are so...?"

"Red? Yeah, we're guessing contacts."

"Are you friends? I mean... does he have any friends?"

"Me?! No! Ha! Didn't you see? He doesn't associate with anyone... like at all. Though he is utterly gorgeous, you are so lucky," She sighed.

"Ha... I guess so, he doesn't really talk to me... he just... stares." I blushed at the thought.

"Oh okay, well mom wants to go mountain boot shopping so, cya sea."

"Ha ha ha okay, bye see you in school," I heard a click on the other end of the phone and flipped it shut. As soon as I hung up the phone rang again, flipped it open.

"Sea?" I heard as I answered.

"Yep, hello?"

"I'm Jasper Albert; I saved you from face planting the tarmac as you put it. Ha-ha. I was also very impolite in English," his voice changed as though a smile was playing at the corner of his lips.

"Jasper?! Oh wow... what err? You saved my face! What err can I do for... well you?" I managed to blurt out.

"I was wondering if I could take you out... this Saturday, I go there sometimes...I mean if you would like to? I could drive?" he laughed.

"Me? You want to take me?"

"Yes, if that would be alright?" he asked worry cracking his voice. "How's Saturday? It'll be warm I checked."

"Great yeah Saturday."

"I won't be in the rest of this week Sea family stuff... You're eyes are mesmerising Sea," he complimented, "I'm sorry, that was a bit forward" he chuckled.

"Wow, no. I actually I was thinking you do actually, there like wow. Do you have contacts?"

"Oh, err. No. I'll pick you up Saturday, Sea. Goodbye." With a click the line went dead.

He didn't have contacts and he wanted me.

Me.

From then the rest of the week dragged, even though I only started on Thursday.

A horn sounded from the sidewalk, I pulled back the front room blinds to see Jaspers eyes light up as he saw me. A grin so wide it made me breathless lit up his ever perfect face and his red eyes sparkled as I attempted to control my breathing.

I skipped to the door; stopping just to fix the white roll up sleeves on my sheer shirt. I ran down the few steps outside my front door and walked to his side. His smile widened but his eyes darkened as though his mood rapidly changed. He muttered under his breath "I shouldn't be here."

"What?" I whispered.

"Nothing. You look breathtakingly beautiful, are we ready?" he smiled, one side of his lips rising crookedly up his face, I gaped at his mesmeric beauty.

"Thank you, where are we going?" I grinned. His returning grin looked as though he was just happy that I was happy, with this butterfly's grew in the pit of my stomach and my heart fluttered. His grin widening.

"Wait and see, though those shoes" he looked down to my embellished sandals I'd bought once whilst touring the coast of California with my grandparents, "may be unsuitable" he looked back up to my eyes and grinned excitedly. "May I?"

"May you?" with that he picked me up off my feet and pranced up the few steps and placed me down. In that same second he had the front door open and motioned his hands for me to go first, "after you ma'am," he smiled at my bewilderment, though watched through careful eyes for my reaction to the superhero like action.

"You're strong" I breathed.

"Yes" he smiled. "Does that bother you?" he asked as he surveyed my face.

"What? No of course not" I grinned and he picked me up off my feet and carried my upstairs and placed me on my feet at the top. He skipped back down, "I'll wait it the car beautiful" he called up; he laughed at the awe clearly spread across my face and ran to his car.

"Wow" I muttered "And here I was worrying he hated me," I walked through and sat on my bed, half a minute passed and no later was he knelt in front of me his head bowed, his fore head pressed against my knees. I could hear his teeth clench, then he looked up and a smile lightened his voice, "Silly, how anyone could hate you? Impossible" he giggled.

"How did you? How did you hear that?"

"You have your window open" he nodded towards the open shutter. I was louder than I had thought; blood painted my cheeks a harsh burn heating my face. I was then reminded of his ignorance and his sudden change of heart in no less than eight hours. I had to ask, or it would gnaw away at me and I'd blurt it out at the most indecent moment and he'd change his mind again. He was my friend now at least I thought he was. Would a friend leave you if you asked an inappropriate question? Something inside of me screamed out, that being close to Jasper isn't something I need. Danger, almost. But the desire to know why his intolerance towards me changed so quickly.

"You ignored me? You glared at me... Now you're what? Dating me? Now I'm beautiful?" a crease lining my forehead. He rose up to his knees, his nose just centimetres from mine. His honey sweet breath washing through my mind, making me dizzy. His sweet scent confused my thought processes.

"You were. You were always... beautiful Sea. I was just... confused that day."

"Confused? You were confused so you thought you'd be a arrogant and intolerable. You took a few days off too? Due to what?" anger raged inside me, adrenaline pulsed through my veins hatred for him soon faded away as a soft breeze through the window blew through rustling his perfectly coiffed coppery hair, his honey scent knocking into my face releasing my muscles.

He pulled away and stood up, "shoes" he reminded ad he pulled my shiny red Doc Martens from behind my bed post and pushed me lightly on my chest bone so I fell backwards onto the bed. He slipped off my sandals and pushed on my Doc's, lacing them and tucking them behind my ankle. He grabbed my wrists, his thumb stretching to the centre of my palm, pulling me to my feet.

"Due to you, I had to sort my head out... to be around you. My sisters stayed off to talk me down from ignoring you. I feel... so exhilarated around you Sea. My mind melts away and all I see, all I feel is you." His hands were on my hips, his eyes soft and truthful. My jaw dropped, my lips forming a small O shape. He smiled, his pupils dilating at the soft "Oh" that slipped from my lips.

"We ready now ma'am?"

"Why certainly sir," he took my arm, linking it through his, his other bent behind his back. This action caused a small chuckle to escape from my lips.


	4. Chapter 4 - The Meadow

_The Meadow_

As we got to his car I noticed it was different to what it was the Thursday I met him, met is an overstatement.

"Huh...your car?" I questioned.

"Yes. Melony needed my car, Thursday," he looked awkwardly to his feet and the pulled open the passenger door and motioned his arm for me to step in. I stepped and clicked my belt into place. Just more than a second later he stepped in and started the engine.

"So the handsome Jasper Albert has a bad ass car huh," I eyed the stunning interior of his Aston Martin V8 Vantage Coupe.

"Handsome," he winked, my cheeks flushed. He drove for a few minutes before my cheeks had cooled and I decided to start conversation.

"Um yes. So where are we going handsome?" I winked, knowing this would create another of his breathtaking smiles. "I need to tell Henr... my dad roughly were I am, he worries after what happe... never mind... so where we going?"

"Henry? You call your father by his first name?" he looked to me, confused.

"Yes. He's been somewhat absent in my life since I was nine. So I emotionally detached myself from him... it hurt less. Dad just doesn't seem to fit anymore, though I don't call him Henry to his face. I still love him; I don't want to hurt him..."

"Sorry Sea," he frowned "Mother?"

"She passed away when I was seven. Mauled by a mountain lion the police say. She was found in the undergrowth of the Olympic National Forest with a crescent shaped bite mark in the crease of her elbow..." I winced at the image it formed in my head. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't have gone into such detail... Stupid." I looked up to find we'd pulled over to the hard shoulder beside the road, I looked to his face to find the same mask of horror I'd worn when my father crumpled to the floor in a fit of terror the night my mother had been found. I reflexively wrapped my arms around his neck to comfort him; it was then that I noticed the coolness of his waxy, translucent skin. I pulled away a look of shock wore into his face. He looked horrified by my act.

"You're very hard for me to... read Miss Tate" he smiled. I felt the need to return contact with his marble like skin, before I could stop myself my fingertips were at his ice cold jaw, he gasped holding his breath.

"I'm not good for you Sea."

"You are good."

"No I'm not. Sea." He returned to the road and continued on, faster than before. He looked to my face, were all I could place there was hurt. "Don't be sad", he stroked my jaw.

"The road!" I shouted, a howling laugh sounded from him.

"Yes? It's a road. I've never had an accident Sea, hell I've never had a parking ticket!" he laughed. With this I decided to return to topic.

"Don't be sad? You ask me... you call me...you want to know me, to 'read' me."

"I do, but I'm just being selfish, I'm not good."

"You are! You aren't the villain of this story!" I shouted, becoming more and more frustrated.

"Let's see... What if I'm not the Batman of this, what if I'm the Joker?" he though back what he'd said, one eye on me the other on the road.

"You're not the Joker," I breathed.

"Perhaps. It's just one theory." He paused thinking. "I don't want to stay away from you Sea, but I need you to know something, I can't tell you. Sea I want you to be... mine... but you won't accept me... what I am."

"What you are?" my forehead creased," What you are..." I thought. I pieced together everything about him to form some kind of sense; the cold, hard, stone like skin and the inhumane speed and strength and found only one plausible explanation that seemed somewhat humorous, though fitted the situation somewhat entirely. "What you're some sort of Dracula?" finding no humour in those words.

He slammed the steering wheel around the car gliding down a dirt road, slamming me against the door "Ow!" I gasped pulling at my neck. "What the hell!" I screamed at him, "We can't all be made out of stone!"

"I'm so sorry Sea, I'm not used to driving with a... never mind" he slowed down to a stop. "If I were?" he looked like he would cry as though he was in pain, thought this looked almost impossible. We gazed into each other's eyes like one of those gooey rom-coms for a minute and then he asked again. "What if I were, a Dracula as you put it?" his voice cracking.

"I'd be fine with your being a Dracula. I'd be afraid," he looked to the floor and nodded, not breathing. I continued, "Of loosing you, the way the girls look at you and talk about you, it'll drive me insane." I took his hands in mine, to my horror his skin brought goose bumps to my own, he was colder than dry ice and his skin like marble, frozen and stiff. His hands unmoving beneath my apparent feeble strength.

"I've known you two days and already I know that I...Can't live... without you." He looked to my hands and pulled me closer to him, leaning over the gap between our seats. "If I hurt you."

"You wouldn't."

"If I did," he looked to my eyes.

"Then I'd be there with you, you'd be cut up about hurting me, no humour intended about the cut up part. I could help you" I played with his hands.

"You really don't care? How can you not?" he questioned.

"You're still you..."

"What we eat?!" his eyes caught mine and smouldered for a minute.

"What?" I breathed almost silently, he glare back.

Half a second later I was sat on his lap, his cool, sweet breath raising goose bumps down my spine. His lips granite like pressed to my neck causing blood to rush to my head, I tried to pull away but his steel grasp locked me in place, my head span.

"You're fast," I choked.

"Yes, being a Dracula as you kindly put it, has its advantages," he chuckled releasing me ever so slightly so that we were nose to nose.

"What you eat? You drink blood... human blood?" I choked out feeling repulsed, I held back the bile that rose up my throat almost wretching. My spine arched back over the steering wheel, the hairs on my arms raised to a stand. Every inch of my being sensed danger.

I was stunned I even had the ability to even think that, yesterday I was a normal 17 year old girl looking forward to a normal date... with an extraordinary boy. Today I sat on the lap of a vampire, conversing about his lunch.

"Yes and no" he kissed the hollow of my neck which made my body shiver, he smiled at the involuntary reaction.

"I only drink the blood of animals; we don't want to hurt people. We were them once, it'd be cannibalism" he joked, a small smile lightening the conversation. "You are so warm, like your own little sun" he looked into my eyes; I noticed his crimson eyes had faded to an orangey red, as though the colour had softened. It was as though his eyes were like a dye and water had been added and diluted the colour. "You're the most beautiful, sought after star in _my _entire universe." My heart felt as though it had tripled in size, like it was going to break out of my rib cage, his palm rested at the top of my chest his fingertips on the hollow at the base of my neck, "your heart, it's beating so fast" he smiled widely.

"Yeah, it does that" I laughed, trying to avoid the embarrassment of my accelerated heart rate being due to him, my Jasper. I grinned widely, his returning wink made my cheeks flush pink. The thought came to me that if my heart beat faster then it must cause some trouble for him I had to ask him so if it did happen I could try and control it to make it easier for him to be within close proximity to me. "Does it bother you? Like do you get hungry being near me?"

A low chuckle escaped his lips, "technically thirsty, an all liquid diet" he laughed, "and yes you do. You are the only human that has ever made me so unbearably thirsty," I gasped at the truth in his words, a jolt shot through me. The reality was that I sat in the lap of a man who thirsted for my blood; he wanted me in ways I didn't even want to understand. But the need I felt for him kept me close, although he was new to my life he was like my oxygen.

"But I feel as though you hold me to the earth though I thirst for you it makes my throat burn with need, I can taste the venom on my tongue but you thrill me with your presence you've made me feel alive for the first time in over one hundred years. You Constance Isabella Tate have made my life" he leant forwards and kissed my red hair raising goose bumps on my arms. His warming eyes glistened, his marble like skin felt as though it had warmed a few degrees. "I feel I can tell you anything as though I've known you all my life. Though I've known you all of three days, Sea I believe I am in love with you," he smiled his cheeky grin, he leaned over to me, still frozen to the wheel, his lips surprisingly soft considering his solid skin. My lips moulded around his, unable to hold their shape against his unchangeable structure. He stroked down my jaw a gut wrenching snarl echoing from within his chest making my body curl away from his, but my new reflexes made me crush my head into his chest. A huge grin shot across his face, "you came back" he whispered.

"Huh I guess I did," I chuckled "hunger pangs?"

"Yes, I suppose you could call it that. Though I feel it is just you, you turn my instincts on" he giggled.

"I turn you on!" I howled, my body shaking uncontrollably.

"I believe you do" he winked, grabbing my waist he pulled me up so my back lay flat against the roof of his Aston Martin. He held me there with one hand whilst he pulled the lever beside his seat, dropping his seat back to lay onto the back seat, within a minute I was sat back on his stomach.

"Wow... I'm never going to get used to that, you're so..."

"Inhumane?" he guessed.

"No."

"Excruciatingly annoying?"

"What? Never mind, no."

"Weird?" he guessed again.

"Narh, I'd say annoyingly perfect," his grin warmed my heart, my cheeks flushed with warmth.

"I love that," he stroked over my cheek bone with his fingertips, I trembled beneath his touch. "I also love that, is it the cold or is it just me?" worry creasing his brow.

"It's just you" I admitted "you're not as cold as before, still freezing but not frosty."

"What do you mean?" He sat up abruptly knocking my back into the steering wheel, his lips an inch from mine.

"You're warmer, a few degrees" I smiled. He gasped. "Is that bad?" a worried crease lining my forehead.

"No, I just. I never thought that it would ever happen. To me I mean."

"Why? What is it? What's happening?" my head naturally falling to his chest for comfort.

"Love is the only thing that can change us. It warms our frozen souls, it dilutes the very colour of our irises, it melts our hearts. Not literally but metaphorically, the last part I mean" he kissed my hair with his cool lips.

"Don't you... age? You said frozen bodies."

"No."

"How old are you?" I looked up, tears threatening to fall to my cheeks. His eyes monitored my expression.

"Seventeen," his eyes burning into mine.

"How long?"

"1918," he sighed. "I was training soldiers ready for war." He looked down to my face to see nothing but interest, "On patrol me and my private came across a man and woman... they were hung over a pile of dead bodies, they were drinking from them. My private, Jones. He called out to them to stop. The man, Victor, he looked up. He and his partner, Mauticia had drained him of everything before I had time to blink. His eyes were empty, lifeless. They were clearly more than mortals, but I was frozen. Fear kept me in my place; I could feel adrenaline building up in my muscles. Then I felt as though I'd been dropped in acid, I screamed out. I could feel my lungs filling up, my screams turned to gurgles," horror shot across my face, it took me a second to rebuild me expression. He sat dazed in his seat, taken in by his past.

"Jasper," I stroked his cheek.

"It's okay, do you want me to continue?" he kissed my cheek lightly, he knew he'd said to much. Pain masked his ever handsome face.

"Um, yes."

"Sea, I can continue another day," he pulled me down onto his chest, his lips above my jaw.

"I'm afraid you'll disappear. That you're a dream. I want to know you before you disappear."

"What? I'm sorry Sea, but you're sorely mistaken. If I were planning on leaving I'd never of apologised for being such and arrogant pig. I've never told anyone that story besides my family."

"Oh, tell me the rest. I want to know."

"You're sure? It gets a bit gory" I nodded.

"Wait! Family?"

"Yes he smiled "I moved to their clan five or so years after I was reborn. I travelled north from where I was based in California, the sun doesn't help us to fit in..."

"Why?"

"I can't explain it to you, but I promise I will show you. After."

"Good, continue." I smiled.

"I'd reached the National Forest when I heard them hunting ten or so miles away, I followed their scent and saw them hunting deer. I didn't want to have to kill people, but my creators had taught me their ways for the first six months of my creation. I'd eaten meat in a past life, so I explained myself to them. They accepted me as their son; it was just my adopted parents at the time. The others joined us later."

"What are their names? Your parents?"

"Kristopher and Ivory," he smiled, intrigued by my interested.

"That's nice" I cuddled into his granite like stomach, "your story?"

"They left me there to die, I thought. I thought that if I did live through it I'd be persecuted for Jones' death. I dragged myself to the trench on the other side of the barbwire fence. I hid in agony for two or three days. It felt as though somebody was dragging a red hot branding iron across my entire body. I lay stifling the screams so I wouldn't be noticed by the guards. They came back for me, Victor and Mauticia. They were savages; I couldn't bring myself to kill. I ran from them, they didn't bother to follow my scent; I was weak from not drinking. I was of no use to them. I hid myself from the world; I killed just twice a year to numb the unbearable burn I felt in my throat. I'd been hidden for ten or so years when I met Kris and Ivory." He sat watching me as I imagined what happened over and over in my mind.

"You're such a good person."

"What? I'm a monster," he looked disgusted at my thought.

"You've killed just ten people! And you're a vampire! You're a good person."

"Technically I didn't kill... people, so to speak,"

"What?"

"I notice things, hear things others don't. I stalked my _prey_ as it were for months before hand." My hand reflexively slapped across his face, I scrunched it up in agony.

"You're sick!"

"Sea! I hunted murderers of women!" I gasped wrapping my arms around his neck to hug him, for he first time he hugged me back. A smile widened across my face, my hand forgotten.

"So where is this place we are going?" I kept my smile in place, remembering our date.

"Well a three mile hike and then a place I like to go when it's sunny" we looked up out of the window to see the cloud bank dissipating.

"You go in the sun?" I asked surprised at how stupid I sounded.

"Ha ha yes, though" he suddenly looked anxious, his eyes darkened to a burgundy.

"What? What happens in the sun?"

"You'll see" he frowned, he sat up kissing the corner of my lips reflexively my hands knotted into his hair pulling him closer to me. He gasped, his lips curved around mine. I breathed in, his sweet scent somewhat intoxicating now, enticing me.

"Constance!" In that instant I dropped my hands behind my back and rolled my lips, licking them, and feeling like a naughty child he pulled me off his lap, flicking his chair back up and buckling me in, the engine running. He sat his face just millimetres from mine.

"I may kiss you and tease you, but you can't jump out on me like that. I'm still a vampire, I'm sorry. I just can't lose control with you." He pecked my cheek lightly.

"Lose control? Of your thirst?" I whispered leaning into his kiss.

"Yes, I'm sorry Sea. I can kiss you just gradually" he laughed.

"You're amazing" I smiled. "Let's get going on this hike" I sighed.

"I'll make sure you don't injure yourself. I've noticed your lack of balance," He chuckled.

"Oh. Ha. Ha."

We drove to the end of the mountainous side road, abruptly the engine cut off, half a second later I was wrapped around his waist my head dipped down in the hollow of his neck.

"Hello," he giggled.

"How are we out of the car?"

"Super speedy" he joked.

"Yes," I whispered, his lips pressed down onto my forehead.

"Are you carrying me the whole way? Or can I walk?"

"Do you want to walk?" he placed me gently down on my feet, yet somehow my legs wobbled and I fell onto my backside, causing a rumbling laugh to echo out of Jasper. I tugged down on his arm in an attempt to pull him down with me

"Ha ha, I said walk. Not... what are you doing? Oh," before I had a chance to explain he fell to the grown beside me. "Oh," he giggled "you are so beautiful Sea," he stroked a loose red curl away from my face, kissing above my eye where it had sat.

"Thank you," I blushed bashfully. He jumped up pulling me up with him. We walked hand in hand through the forest beside the road for hours. Then I'd taken to being carried whilst he walked, though his inhumane pace made me nauseated, leading to an agreement that he'd walk much slower.

"If I run we could be there in ten seconds. If we continue to walk like a petty human we'll be an hour."

"Superhuman run please, I want to sit," I smiled. To that he ran at a pace that instantly made me feel illness similar to that of travel sickness, though as soon as it started it stopped, confusing my body.

He dropped me to my feet helping me balance before I could look up he had taken refuge behind a tall oak tree. I tilted my head to the side confused as to this action, and then the light hit me. Filtering through the trees a beam of light blinded me for a mere second. I lifted my finger motioning for him to come forward. He looked down, unbuttoning his chequered shirt. His stomach looked as though it had been carved or crafted, it was impossible for someone to be so perfectly toned without taking anabolic steroids.

He looked up to catch my awed gaze, he chuckled once then his face froze and he stepped forwards into the meadow that sat in the centre of the trees.


End file.
